Improved submarine and torpedo boat



.UNITED STATES PATE-NT QFFICE.

SCOVIL SIMERRIAM, OF SPRINGFIELD, MASSACHUSETTS.

IMPROVED SUBMARINE AND TORP-EDO BOAT.

Specification forming part of Letters Patent No. 53.661, dated October 9, 1866.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, SoovIL S. MERRIAM, of Springfield, in the county of Hampden, in the State of Massachusetts, have invented a new and Improved Submarine and Torpedo Boat, and I do hereby declare that the followin g is a full and exact description thereof, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, and to the letters of reference marked thereon.

Figure I represents a longitudinal section of my improved submarine and torpedo boat, and Fig. II is a horizontal section of the same.

Similar letters represent similar parts.

The nature of my invention consists in the construction ot' a vessel for submarine purposes, of which the bottom or lower part consists of a heavy cast-iron bed-plate of the required shape, tbrming part of the vessel, to which the plating of the other part of the hull is attached, said bed-plate containing the necessary tanks for the water ballast.

Further, in the arrangement ot' suspended ballast-weights, attached to ropes or chains, and capable of heilig brought above the lowest part of the bottom of the vessel, or of being let down to any desirable depth.

Further, in the arrangement of a bar at the bow ot' the vessel capable of having a torpedo or exploding shell attached to its end, and operated from the inside of the vessel in such a manner as to move said bar either'under the bottom of the vessel, or to cause the end of said bar to project some distance forward of the vessel. The interior of the vessel is divided into several compartments, forming airchambers, for the purpose of containing compressed air to supply the working compartment with fresh air when required, as well as to drive an engine to propel the vessel.

Further, in the manner of inclosing one or all the doors in the bottom of the vessel by a chamber or boX capable ofbeing entered from the working floor and of being closed perfectly air-tight, to enable said door or doors to be opened without the necessity of lling the whole of the working compartment with the pressure of air necessary to resist the pressure of the water when opening` said door.

To enable others skilled in the art to make and use my invention, I will proceed to de scribe its construction and operation.

The hull of the vessel is made of elliptical form in its longitudinal section, both horizontally and vertically, meeting at each end in a point. Its transverse sectional form at the middle of its length may be made either semicircular or oval, with the bottom llat. This flat bottom is continued equal distances in both directions from the center to the eX- tent of about one-third or onehalf of its length, the bow and stern being of elliptical conoidal form.

The bottom A, or lower part of the vessel, together with the bow B and stern C ot' the vessel, are made of cast-iron, which serves in part as ballast and to keep the vessel steady and upright. The bottom A is made in the form of a series of hollow boxes or chambers, T T T", &c., of any desired number, and cast either in one or more parts, screwed together by bolts, and to which the bow B and stern C are fastened. This heavy cast-iron bed-plate is made of the desired form and shape, and forms the lower part of the hull. The other portion of the hull of the vessel consists of a skin, D, of boiler-plates or copper, secured or riveted to the top of the bed-plate A and to the bow B and stern C.

In the bedplate A there are hinged trapdoors or scuttles E and F, arranged capable of being securely fastened down tight by screwbolts a, or in any other desired manner.

In the upper part or top of the vessel a manhole door, G, is fitted within an air-tight lid or frame, d, for the purpose of entering the vessel. This door Gr is arranged to be lifted up from the inside when required by means of the lever o, and is securely fastened down air and water tight by means of suitable bolts.

The tanks or chambers T T T, Ste., in the bed-plate A serve as water-chambers, into which water can be admitted by valves or cocks g, to act as ballast and cause the descent ofthe vessel.

The interior of the vessel above the bed-plate is divided into several compartments through the bulk-heads H, J, K, and L, and between the bulk-heads J and K a partition, M, is arranged, some distance from the hull D, forming, together with the bulk-heads .I and K, an interior chamber, which I call the working chamber or compartment, and forming likewise, together with the hull D, an exterior chamber around this working compartment, and which, together with the chambers before the bulk-head K and behind the bulk-head J, form the air-chambers to contain compressed air, to be supplied into the working compartment, as may be desired, and likewise connected with the water-tanks T T Tll Snc., in the bedplate A, for the purpose of forcing the water out of the same when required.

In di'erent parts of the hull glass lights are arranged to admit light to the inner part of the vessel. The frames of these lights are ,fitted on the inside with lnetal shutters, constructed in the usual manner, to be closed in case of the lights being broken.

On the top of the vessel a small tower or turret, N, is arranged, provided with openings p p in different directions, closed with glass lights, and secured by metal shutters on the inside, capable of being closed in case of the glass lights bein broken. This turret N is made, when the vessel is intended for war purposes, very heavy, so as to make the same nearly shot-proof, and is supported by columns j', resting on the top of the bed-plate A.

The hull D, as well as the partition-plate M, is strengthened by T-iron or angle-iron ribs, which at the same time serve to fasten the braces to. These braces should be made with turnbuckles to insure an even strain on all parts of the hull when the air-compartments are iilled with compressed air.

O O' are heavy weights, which are suspended from ropes or chains q. These weights, which I term suspended ballast, are arranged near the ends ofthe vessel and amidships, and are capable of being raised into suitable recesses made in the vessels bottom, or lowered to any depth below, by means of windlasses P or P. The ropes or cables q, on which these weights are suspended, pass over suitable pulleys, through air-tight tubes or channel-ways, to the windlasses, said pulleys and windlasses, as well as part of the gearing to work the windlasses, being situated in air-tight boxes, with only the shafts to operate said windlasses passing through tight stuffing-boxes into the working compartment. By this arrangement the ropes or cables can freely pass through large holes in the bottom of the vessel without requiring any stuffing-boxes for said ropes or cables to run through.

Q Q is the gearing, situated in the working compartment, to work the windlasses, and, consequently, the suspended weights 0 O', when required. Vhen these weights are suspended some distance below the vessel they keep the same steady and upright in the water, and prevent her from rolling or pitching. When lowered so as to rest on the bottom of the water-bed, the vessel will be relieved of so much Weight or ballast, and will be caused to rise and ascend by simply unwindin g the ropes or cables, without the necessity of forcing the water, which acts as part of the ballast, out of the water-tanks, and by winding up the cables again the vessel will be made to descend again to the bottom. I

At the steril of the vessel a screw-propeller, S, is fitted, connected to the propeller-shaft w by means of a universal joint, r, and supported in a swinging frame, lt. The propeller-shaft w is driven by hand by means of suitable gearing U U and U, situated in the working compartment. In place of the gearing U an engine operated by compressed air from the air-compartment can be placed at the end of the propeller-shaft.

To the propeller-frame R arms b are attached, to which the rudderLchains t are fastened. These rudder-chains t pass over suitable guiding-pulleys s into the vessel through tubes through the air-compartments into the working compartment, and are conducted then by means of guide-pulleys h to the steering-wheel WV, situated some little distance forward of the turret N, in easy rea-ch of the pilot sitting upon a seatk attached to the columns f, and of proper elevation for the pilots head entering the turret, to enable him to see his course.

The propeller-wheel S, being supported in the swinging frame It, which latter is operated similar to a iudder, and being connected to the propeller-shaft by means ot a universal joint, 1", can be turned either to the right or to the left, operating, therefore, at the same time as a rudder for steering the vessel.

Near the propeller, at the after part of the vessel, and on each side near the centerline of the same, horizontal ruddersY are arranged, attached to a horizontal shaft passing through the vessel. This shaft is supported in the sides of the vessel, as well as in a suitable bearing in the box t, (see Fig. IL) and is connected through gearing with a shaft running through the tube z into the workin g compartment, and provided there. with a hand-wheel. o, or with a lever at its end, for thepurpose of operating said horizontal side rudders, y. These rudders are for the purpose of regulating the descent or ascent of the vessel while in motion.

When the vessel is some distance below the surface of the water, and it should be necessary or desirable to open either of the lower doors, the whole comliartment wherein the door is situated would be required to be lled with air of a pressure corresponding with the depth the vessel is below the water surface, to prevent the water entering through the door when opened. To obviate the necessity of lilling each time the whole space of the working compartment, the forward door, F, is incloscd in a chamber or room, X, havinga communicltion with the working compartment, and capable of being closed perfectly tight by means of the door V, whereby only this small chamber X requires to be filled with air of the required pressure, corresponding to the eolumn of water above.

At the forward end or bow of the vessel a long bar, Z, is arranged, attached to a shaft or spindle, s, connected by means of gearing with the shaft u, running into the chamberX or into the working compartment, and arranged with suit-able gearing at its end for the purpose of turning said shaft u, and conscquently the bar Z.

To the end of this bar the torpedo or exploding shell is attached. This bar Z is made of such a length and shape as to bring its end where the torpedo is attached nearly on a line with the center line of the vessel when said bar is turned in a position to project forward of the vessel, and, when turned around or under the bottom of the vessel, so that its end or the torpedo will come below or near the door F, for the purpose of attaching in that position the torpedo or exploding shell to said bar without the' necessity of going out of the vessel to perform this operation.

On each side in the working compartment strong copper cylinders may be placed iilled with air of from four to tive hundred pounds pressure, to increase thereby the quantity ot' air, and consequently the length of time the vessel can remain under water.

When the vessel is under water, and it is desired to ascend without letting the suspended ballast-weights go down to the bottom of the waterbed, air is made to enter the water-tanks from the air-compartments or from the copper cylinders, and the water-valves gbeing opened, the pressure of the air will force the water out of the tanks, thereby lightening the vessel, when the same will readily ascend to the surface of the water.

When the vessel is intended for commercial purposes only it may be supplied with fresh air by means of pumps placed on a tender above the water, orby pumps on board the vessel and a flexible pipe of suitable length leading to the surface of the water, the mouth of said pipe being kept above the surface ot' the water by means of a float.

When the vessel is intended for war purposes I propose to strengthen the top of the hull by two or three thicknesses of heavy iron plates for about two or three feet downward, so as to make that part of it nearly shot-proof.

This vessel may ube used for making submarine explosions, in removing obstructions, or in the preparation of such removal, in building foundations without the necessity of a coffer-dam, and in many other submarine, civil, military, and naval engineering operations.

What I claim as myinvention, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is-

l. The construction of the lower portion or bottom of a submarine vessel of heavy castiron bed-plates,containing the water-tanks, in combination with the ends of the vessel, and

arranged substantially as and for the purpose herein set forth.

2. The arrangement of the rope or cable, guide-pulley, and windlass, with gearing for the purpose of operating the suspended ballast, in a perfectly air-tight boX, operating and being operated substantially in the manner and for the purpose described.

3. In combination with a submarine vessel, the arrangement of a torpedo-bar near the bow, at the bottom of the vessel, and the manner of operating said bar from the inside of the vessel, in the manner substantially as described.

4. The arrangement of a chamber, X, capable of being closed perfectly air-tight, and sur rounding one or more of the doors in the bota tom of the vessel, for the purpose substan tially as specified.

5. The construction of a submarine vessel, consisting of a heavy cast-iron bottom-plate with an iron or copper hull, in combination with the water-tanks arranged in the bed-plate, the air-chambers around the sides, top, and ends of the working compartment, the suspended ballast -weight, the screw-propeller, worked either by hand or by a compressed-air engine, and the torpedo bar with exploding shell at its end, when the whole is arranged and combined in the manner and for the purpose substantially as set forth and described.

SUOVIL S. MERRIAM.

WVitncsses HENRY E. ROEDER T. M. TYNG. 

